Intelligent Routing of Voice-Over-Packet Calls

1. A method of operating a call processing system to route a voice-over-packet call between a wireless communication device and a destination device, wherein the destination device is located in a geographic area served by a local exchange carrier, the method comprising: receiving a request for the call originating from the wireless communication device, wherein the request comprises a destination identifier of the destination device and a wireless access node identifier of a wireless access node providing wireless access to the wireless communication device; processing the destination identifier and the wireless access node identifier to determine if the wireless access node is located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; selecting a first route for the call from a packet network serving the wireless communication device to a first media gateway trunked to the local exchange carrier serving the destination device if the wireless access node is located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; selecting a second route for the call from the packet network serving the wireless communication device to a second media gateway trunked to an interexchange carrier trunked to the local exchange carrier serving the destination device if the wireless access node is not located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; and transferring routing instructions for the call for delivery to the wireless communication device comprising a network address associated with one of the first media gateway and the second media gateway.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the call is a session initiation protocol (SIP) call invite message.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the destination identifier is a network address of the destination device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the destination identifier and the wireless access node identifier to determine if the wireless access node is located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier comprises processing the wireless access node identifier to determine if the wireless access node is associated with the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network address of the routing instructions comprise a new destination for the call.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the packet network is configured to receive communication packets for the call transferred by the wireless communication device addressed to the network address, and route the communication packets for delivery to the network address, wherein the selected one of the first media gateway and the second media gateway receive the communication packets and route the communication packets for delivery to the local exchange carrier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the routing instructions for the call for delivery to the wireless communication device comprises transferring a session initiation protocol (SIP) acknowledge message for delivery to the wireless communication device, wherein the acknowledge message comprises the network address.

8. A call processing system to route a voice-over-packet call between a wireless communication device and a destination device, wherein the destination device is located in a geographic area served by a local exchange carrier, comprising: a communication interface configured to receive a request for the call originating from the wireless communication device, wherein the request comprises a destination identifier of the destination device and a wireless access node identifier of a wireless access node providing wireless access to the wireless communication device; a processing system configured to process the destination identifier and the wireless access node identifier to determine if the wireless access node is located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; the processing system configured to select a first route for the call from a packet network serving the wireless communication device to a first media gateway trunked to the local exchange carrier serving the destination device if the wireless access node is located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; the processing system configured to select a second route for the call from the packet network serving the wireless communication device to a second media gateway trunked to the an interexchange carrier trunked to the local exchange carrier serving the destination device if the wireless access node is not located in the geographic area served by the local exchange carrier; and the communication interface configured to transfer routing instructions for the call for delivery to the wireless communication device comprising a network address associated with one of the first media gateway and the second media gateway.

9. The call processing system claim 8 , wherein the request for the call is a session initiation protocol (SIP) call invite message.

10. The call processing system of claim 8 , wherein the destination identifier is a network address of the destination device.

11. The call processing system of claim 8 , comprising: the processing system configured to process the wireless access node identifier to determine if the wireless access node is associated with the geographic area served by local exchange carrier.

12. The call processing system of claim 8 , wherein the network address of the routing instructions comprises a new destination for the call.

13. The call processing system of claim 8 , wherein the packet network is configured to receive communication packets for the call transferred by the wireless communication device addressed to the network address, and route the communication packets for delivery to the network address, wherein the selected one of the first media gateway and the second media gateway receive the communication packets and route the communication packets for delivery to the local exchange carrier.

14. The call processing system of claim 8 , comprising: the communication interface configured to transfer a session initiation protocol (SIP) acknowledge message for delivery to the wireless communication device, wherein the acknowledge message comprises the network address.